Post-Game Talk: Didnt play a full 60 minutes, and ran into Loungo. Leafs lose in SO

[GoonieFace]

Its been real fun watching Nylander skate around in circles, when is he going to take the puck to the net and actually shoot..so annoying

 

[egd27]

I would prefer just wins and losses -- no points at all. It works in baseball -- you win in extras, it's a win; you lose, you lose.

It would make the standings simpler; it would separate teams in the standings; and it would make each win more valuable.

The problem is, IMO, in any other sport with OT, they do not change the fundamental elements of the game. (i.e. reducing the number of fielders to 6 in order to make hitting easier).

What constitutes OT in the NHL is not the same game that was played for 60 mins, or the game played to win the Cup. So again, IMO, losing during 3-3 or a SO is not the same as losing a 60 min hockey game and should not be treating as such.

 

[HamiltonNHL]

Thought Rielly was flying out there. Could've had a hattrick this game but ah well.

He certainly didn't convert on his grade A scoring chances.

Poor Freddy on that cheap goal from behind. Kudos to Kadri for scoring.

 

[X66]

Not playing good? I’d take those scoring chances on the road every game for the rest of life if I could.

Luongo and terrible bounces are the only reason we didn’t win in regulation.

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

I guess the one good thing to come out of this was that their hold on a playoff spot was strengthened with both Ottawa and Detroit losing, if the gap between Ottawa and Toronto grows much more those 3 games in hand Ottawa has aren't going to matter

Same goes for Boston, they have 3 games in hand too, but they dug themselves such a big hole that if it gets any bigger those games won't matter

 

[weems]

That was by far Matthews best game since returning which is very encouraging.

We collectively moved our feet in the 3rd and dominated the period. Problem with this team right now is that we aren't doing this for a full 60 and so much of the way we play is jumpstarted by being a fast team.

We need to start skating for 60 minutes consistently or we're going to start losing alot of games.

 

[Clark4Ever]

Soshnikov looked like a steaming pile of garbage.

If Leivo had a game like that, he wouldn't play for the rest of the season.

Yeah, Sosh wasn't engaged, which is surprising.

 

[Zybalto]

We were the better team in every period but games like these happen.

Too bad Remier didn' play.

 

[deletethis]

Soshnikov has played no worse than Kapanen or Leivo IMO. I can't predict the future but I think Babs/Lou like Soshnikov's attitude. Soshnikov seems to be a company man type like Lou always had in New Jersey.

I found the conclusion of the Leafs being outplayed in the first period untrue. Florida threw a bunch of nothing shots on goal in that period with maybe one or two actual scoring chances. The Leafs had more serious scoring chances in that first period.

 

[PuckMagi]

I just want one game where Matthews isn't with Hyman. Is that too much to ask?

 

[ToneDog]

Its been real fun watching Nylander skate around in circles, when is he going to take the puck to the net and actually shoot..so annoying

Some Leaf fans think that is worth up to $7M

 

[bobermay]

I just want one game where Matthews isn't with Hyman. Is that too much to ask?

Yes.

 

[ShaneFalco]

The starting slow thing is becoming a concern

 

[ToneDog]

Clear to me where the problem lies. Team is average when Matthews does not score. We need more goals out of Marner, Nylander and Tybo to be an elite team.

Matthews 12
Kadri 11
JVR 11
Marleau 8
Brown 8

Nylander 4 (14 goal pace)
Hyman 4
TyBo 4
Moore 3
Marner 2 (7 goal pace)
Leo 2
Martin 1

 

[zeke]

One good thing about last night is that Willy managed to turn JVR and Bozak into good possession players, while Marner didn't hurt the Matthews' line's possession either.

 

[zeke]

Soshnikov has played no worse than Kapanen or Leivo IMO. I can't predict the future but I think Babs/Lou like Soshnikov's attitude. Soshnikov seems to be a company man type like Lou always had in New Jersey.

I found the conclusion of the Leafs being outplayed in the first period untrue. Florida threw a bunch of nothing shots on goal in that period with maybe one or two actual scoring chances. The Leafs had more serious scoring chances in that first period.

IMO Kapanen clearly played the best of the three so far this year.

which isn't really surprising, as he's easily the best player of the 3.

 

[Trapper]

Clear to me where the problem lies. Team is average when Matthews does not score. We need more goals out of Marner, Nylander and Tybo to be an elite team.

Matthews 12
Kadri 11
JVR 11
Marleau 8
Brown 8

Nylander 4 (14 goal pace)
Hyman 4
TyBo 4
Moore 3
Marner 2 (7 goal pace)
Leo 2
Martin 1

What I liked from the game:

Matthews - Marner
Will it always be like this? I don't know. Depends if we keep JVR. But then we need a solid center for that line.

Kadri - Brown
This needs to be the foundation of the matchup line. If Leo goes, add Hyman or another speedy forechecker.

Marner - JVR powerplay unit.
Always good. Some of the goals you are looking for are found here. And if we play 60 minutes of structure, these opportunities could be the difference.

Nylander's defensive effort.
Give Bozak a rest. Insert Leivo and run JVR-Nylander-Leivo as the Bozak sheltered line. Let's see what he can do at C. Might help some of the goal scoring your looking for.

 

[zeke]

Hyman - Matthews - Brown
VanRyk - Marleau - Nylander
Kapanen - Kadri - Marner
Martin - Bozak - Komarov

 

[AppsSyl]

The starting slow thing is becoming a concern

Starting slow is a bit of a concern, but I would rather start slow than throw away games late in the 3rd like we did last year.

 

[AppsSyl]

Hyman - Matthews - Brown
VanRyk - Marleau - Nylander
Kapanen - Kadri - Marner
Martin - Bozak - Komarov

I like the line up except I would switch Brown and Marner around. I don't think Hyman and Brown as Matthews wingers maximizes his goal scoring ability.

 

[Walshy7]

One good thing about last night is that Willy managed to turn JVR and Bozak into good possession players, while Marner didn't hurt the Matthews' line's possession either.

I thought after a tentative first JVR-Bozak-Nyladner got more comfortable together and Nyladner is slowly starting to get that swagger back. He messed up a zone entry (friedmen pointed it out) then after that every shift he was gaining the zone like the old nylander. I say keep the lines, if nylander can get his confidence back we become a huge threat to win majority of our games, and likely easily.

 

[ULF_55]

I thought after a tentative first JVR-Bozak-Nyladner got more comfortable together and Nyladner is slowly starting to get that swagger back. He messed up a zone entry (friedmen pointed it out) then after that every shift he was gaining the zone like the old nylander. I say keep the lines, if nylander can get his confidence back we become a huge threat to win majority of our games, and likely easily.

Yep, as the game went on he started to take more ownership of the puck.

I wonder about the possession stats when in overtime the Leafs skated around the offensive zone a few times owning the puck but doing nothing with it.

I'll always take the win over possession.

 

[Mess]

I just want one game where Matthews isn't with Hyman. Is that too much to ask?

Do you prefer Martin there instead?

 

[BertCorbeau]

Its been real fun watching Nylander skate around in circles, when is he going to take the puck to the net and actually shoot..so annoying

There wasn't a lane for him to shoot or make a pass and in 3 on 3 OT possession is massive. Just throwing the puck away isn't a smart decision.

 

[ACC1224]

There wasn't a lane for him to shoot or make a pass and in 3 on 3 OT possession is massive. Just throwing the puck away isn't a smart decision.

He needed to try something different, there wasn't much time until they became short handed.
End of the day it didn't matter but that could have been a wasted opportunity had Fla scored on the PP.